After a 33-10 loss at LSU dropped Arkansas to 4-6, it's time to turn the head coaching rumor volume nob up to 11. Candidates thus far include Mike Norvell of Memphis and the very recently fired Butch Jones of Tennessee.
With hindsight being 20/20, and Razorbacks' head coach Bret Bielema's record being 29-32, should the school have hired him in the first place.?
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Let's jump in our Delorean, slam on the gas until we hit 88-miles-per hour, and revisit five head coaches Arkansas should have considered instead of Bret Bielema back in the winter of 2012.
RELATED: 5 Potential Replacements for Bret Bielema at Arkansas Including Mike Norvell, Lane Kiffin
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Butch Jones
Well, this is awkward. The man who just got axed by the Volunteers was ripe for the hiring after the 2012 regular season.
After leading Central Michigan to a 27-13 career mark from 2007-2009, including bowl appearances in all 3 seasons, Jones quickly turned around a Cincinnati program and led them to a 10-win season in 2011.
Unfortunately for Razorbacks' fans, another SEC school swooped in first.
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Mike MacIntyre
Mike MacIntyre did the impossible at San Jose State: He won.
After taking over for a Dick Tomey team that went 2-10 in 2009, MacIntyre led the Spartans to perhaps its greatest season ever in 2012. SJSU went 11-2, won the Military Bowl, and finished the season ranked in the top 25.
For the next trick up his sleeve, MacIntyre rebuilt a horrendous Colorado program and led them to the Pac-12 championship game a season ago and can get the Buffs to another bowl game this year with a season-finale victory over Utah.
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Kliff Kingsbury
After the debacle that was the Tommy Tuberville era, Kingsbury has turned the Texas Tech offense into one of the most prolific in the nation.
Then again, they don't play much defense either. The Red Raiders have given up 40 points or more over 30 times under Kingsbury's watch, including an astounding 82 points to TCU back in 2014.
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Dave Doeren
Doeren was one hot cookie in the winter of 2012 having just gone 23-4 at Northern Illinois over two seasons, which included an Orange Bowl appearance.
After a rough 3-9 rebuilding season with NC State in 2013, the Wolfpack are off to a fantastic 7-3 start this year and have been ranked at various times during the season.
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Matt Rhule
Not exactly a school that has dominated the college football landscape over the decades, Rhule took over at Temple and led the Owls to its first win over Penn State since 1941, two consecutive American Athletic championship games, and the squad's first conference title since 1967.
He's now suffering through a one-win season at Baylor, so Rhule is probably just as disappointed that he didn't wind up with Arkansas in 2012.
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NEXT: 5 Jobs for Mike Norvell in 2019 if He Doesn't Leave Memphis This Year
